Your Four Season Guide To Yellowstone National Park

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Kris Hauck

Yellowstone National Park is home to America’s most beautiful scenery. From famous geysers, to unique wildlife and untamed terrain, Yellowstone is the perfect vacation destination for any troop of travelers. If you’re a newcomer to the park, read our Yellowstone 101 Guide to familiarize yourself with the aspects of the area and what a Yellowstone vacation is all about. If you’re an expert on Yellowstone but having trouble deciding on a concrete time to visit, read this article to make sure your next trip to the park is just as unforgettable as the first!

Autumn In Yellowstone

The yearly changing of nature’s colors evoke hope and enjoyment as the holiday season approaches. While the images of Yellowstone during the warmer months immediately pop to everyone’s mind, this beautiful national park offers visitors many attractions. The animal life becomes more active in preparation for hibernation and settling in for the upcoming winter months. The opportunity for photography increases as fields of trees become rolling waves of sunset amidst the cool backdrop. Capturing images of the pristine quality of nature in combination with the wildlife has never been easier in Yellowstone. Although the sun sets earlier in the evening, van tours continue twice per day.

Furthermore, most tourists arrive to visit Yellowstone during summer vacation, so the amount of traffic and tourist density decreases beginning in early September. If someone wants to visit Yellowstone without feeling crowded by other guests, then autumn is the perfect opportunity to escape from the hustle and bustle into paradise in the heart of the country.

Yellowstone, A Winter Wonderland

There’s never a shortage of winter vacation ideas in Southwest Montana! Yellowstone National Park stays open throughout the winter, and few know that Yellowstone offers amazing skiing opportunities during the winter. Nothing is nicer than visiting Yellowstone for a family skiing trip while taking in the breath-taking snow-covered scenery. How does someone travel through Yellowstone when it’s covered in ice and snow? Easy. People have the option of bringing their own snowmobiles or renting one from the dozens of licensed dealers surround and inside the park.

Nestled within the confines of the park, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort gives skiers over 2,000-acres of land to traverse at thrilling speeds. The vertical rise of the most popular stop stands just under one-mile tall and receives more than 400-inches of snowfall during the winter months. With this much fresh powder on the mountain, everyone will find enjoyment and amazement during their trip to Yellowstone. The other resorts that commonly attract visitors during the winter include Red Lodge Resorts, Bozeman resorts, and Big Sky Resorts, which has a vertical rise that rivals that of Jackson Hole Resort.

People even find themselves staring straight into the heart of the parks countless geysers, including the legendary geyser, Old Faithful. While it may not be the largest geyser in the park, it does remain one of the most predictable geysers in the world. Eruptions from Old Faithful last anywhere from 2 – 5 minutes, and occur at least every 91-minutes. When an eruption occurs that last past 2.5-minutes, the geyser takes about the full 91-minutes to recharge the pressure of the boiling water.

Watch above as Old Faithful erupts in slow motion!

You can even take a guided tour in the snow coach. The guides transform the tour vans into giant snowmobiles capable of taking on any of the snow packed terrain without ever leaving the warmth and relaxation of the van’s interior. They make an excellent hiding spot for catching some of the wildlife of Yellowstone without disturbing them.

You may have wanted to go ice fishing atop a lake in the arctic, but you have the chance to do some real ice fishing in Yellowstone at several of the parks grand lakes. Once the ice has frozen over sufficiently, small tents and light-weight cabins line the river-beds while everyone vies to catch the parks most plentiful winter fish: Brown fish.

Spring’s Effect On Yellowstone

Oh Spring. It is the rebirth of nature in all of her glory and wonder, and Yellowstone begins to attract people by the droves. Fantastic fields of fresh flower bloods inspire fantasy and amazement while the Bald Eagles soar high above searching for the perfect nesting spot. The true amount of Yellowstone’s wildlife is seen by tourists during the Spring. The temperatures remain moderate until mid-April, and many find enjoyment at the ski resorts in the early morning hours of spring days. Thousands of amateur and professional photographers take to the landscape in Yellowstone in the hopes of catching that once-in-a-lifetime photo, and many find GoPro cameras excellent in Yellowstone.

You have the option of scheduling a private tour starting in mid-April as well. Of course, the van-tours continue for anyone wanting to make new friends during the guided tours. The full day guided tours include an added benefit for everyone, a picnic lunch is brought along and provided as part of the tour. Imagine spending the day in Yellowstone without worrying about returning to town to wait in line and then wait on a waitress for lunch. This way the journey in one of America’s wonders doesn’t have to end in the middle of the day. In late spring, the Western Outdoor Cookouts at the Parade Rest Guest Ranch start-up twice every single week. Take a van tour, hike, or ride horseback across the country-side to the ranch for an amazing meal of steak or chicken with all of the fixings. Parade Rest Guest Ranch over looks the crisp waters of Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake, which gives yet another opportunity for world-class photographs.

Summer Paradise Within Yellowstone

As the seasons transition from spring to summer, tourists flock to Yellowstone in droves. The number of outdoor activities increases thanks to the calmer waters and precipitation. People find relaxation in hiking, biking, river-rafting, and fishing. Hundreds of hikers find themselves seeing something wondrous every second while walking the hundreds of trails within the park. Each year, the Gallatin National Forest in Yellowstone attracts many urban people who want to see what a real forest looks like and smells like. The scent of pine and fresh air permeates the entire area.

Although many activities in Yellowstone National Park take place in the other three seasons, the Western Outdoor Cookouts, park picnics on guided tours, and visiting the dozens of active geysers all are available during the summer as well. Since the weather is so nice, summer months include three tours every day to choose from. People who select all three receive an additional discount of $15 off the total cost of the tour, and two tours receive a $10 discount. The opportunity to visit this paradise has never been better, and you only need to decide when you will be going. After all, there is something to do at Yellowstone every day of the year.

Stop By Ennis On Your Way To Yellowstone!

Ennis, MT is just a short, but scenic drive away from Yellowstone National Park. If you’re planning your Montana vacation destination, consider taking the road less traveled down US-HWY 287 and the Backroad to Yellowstone. We’re real Western, real friendly – and real fun! From blue ribbon fishing and amazing year-round hunting in the Madison Valley and Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest, to authentic Old West culture and dozens of restaurants and entertainment venues, there’s never a shortage of things to do in Ennis – It’s the perfect stop on your wild Montana adventure!